Camouflage Pattern Painting

This circular describes an improved method of camouflaging military equipment
and how to apply it to existing equipment. This improved method is simple, and
field tests have proved that it works well in confusing the enemy observer and
enhancing battlefield survivability. It consists of painting newly developed
patterns on the equipment, using only four colors. The patterns
(different for each model of vehicle or item of equipment) have been carefully
worked out by a team of camouflage experts and scientists. Unlike older
camouflage patterns, this is a general all-purpose pattern. By changing only one
of the four colors, or at most, two, the same basic pattern can be made to work
equally well in different seasons of the year or on different types of terrain.

The theory behind this new pattern-painting design is to provide a system
that can be adapted to various geographical and seasonal changes by the changing
of one or, at most, two colors. For instance, the forest green can be changed to
sand for desert operations, or the field drab changed to dark green and the sand
to field drab for temperate climate terrain in summer. By using the appropriate
color from the standard camouflage color chart (below) in conjunction with the
pattern-painting design, a good color combination for almost every terrain can
be obtained.

These new designs also lend themselves to touchup painting with better
results than are now obtainable from touchup of the current OD vehicles. Slight
mismatches in color will not be as noticeable as they are on a solid-colored
vehicle except from very close inspection. Likewise, minor abrasions and scaling
of surfaces will be equally inconspicuous.

Camouflage Patterns and Colors

The camouflage pattern consists of wavy, irregular patches of color applied
to the vehicle. The colors used for the patterns have been selected from the
standard camouflage colors as shown in the chart above.

The patterns use only four of these colors, for any geographic or climatic
conditions. The only exception is winter arctic, which is solid white. When
changing from one geographic or climatic condition to another, the shape of the
pattern itself does not change; only one or two of the colors that make up the
pattern change. The next table shows the combinations of colors to be used for
various seasons and climatic regions. The first and second colors each cover
about 45% of the vehicle; the third color covers 5% of the vehicle; and the
fourth color, normally black, covers the remaining 5%. The color numbers 1, 2,
and 3 identify the first three colors, and are used in the pattern designs to
show what color goes where on the vehicle.

Condition

Color Distribution

1 - 45% (base)

2 - 45%

3 - 5% (soil)

4 - 5%

Winter US & Europe - verdant

Forest Green

Field Drab

Sand

Black

Snow - temperate w/trees & shrubs

Forest Green

White

Sand

Black

Snow - temperate w/open terrain

White

Field Drab

Sand

Black

Summer US & Europe - verdant

Forest Green

Light Green

Sand

Black

Tropics - verdant

Forest Green

Dark Green

Light Green

Black

Gray desert

Sand

Field Drab

Earth Yellow

Black

Red desert

Earth Red

Earth Yellow

Sand

Black

Winter Arctic

White

White

White

White

The color patterns in the above table were designed for world-wide
application, and cover a wide range of terrain conditions. It is possible that
any given color combination may not be an exact match for some specific local
condition. In such a case, the 12 colors available in camouflage paints give the
local commander wide latitude to modify the color combination and develop one
that more closely matches the local terrain and operating conditions. Note:
Individual colors must not be mixed with one another as this will destroy the
camouflage characteristics of the paint.

New items of tactical equipment will be painted lusterless forest green at
the factory. Since the base paint of forest green is usually one of the large
45% color areas, troops will have to pattern paint only three colors. The actual
paint to be added will then be one large 45% area and the two small 5% areas.